The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of automobiles and more specifically relates to oil filter removal devices.
2. Description of Related Art
An oil filter is a filter device to remove particulate contaminants from engine oil, transmission oil, lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, or other similar fluid lubricants. Most times the use of the oil filter is for internal combustion engines installed within in motor vehicles, light aircraft, and boats. Other hydraulic systems can also be equipped with a filter. Aside from these uses, oil production, transport, and recycling facilities also employ filters in the manufacturing process.
Oil and/or other lubricant filters may removable and include replaceable internal filtration components, in other instances filters may be a complete unit such that the filter is removed and disposed of completely. Such filters can include the “spin-on” type such that the filter includes threads to affix the filter to the device in which the fluid/lubricant is intended to be filtered.
Generally, an oil-filter wrench, strap, or similar device can be used to remove a spin-on type oil filter. These types of filters can be smooth and cylindrical with knurling or flat surfaces on the bottom edge that can be difficult to grip, especially when they are dirty, oily, or damaged. Also, most filter wrenches are specific to a particular size or style of filter. In many cases the filter may contain oil during removal. Such conditions may make it difficult for a maintenance technician to remove the filter without spilling the lubricant, oil, or fuel. It is advantageous, in some instances to drain the residual fluid from a filter prior to the removal of the filter. Based upon the need to remove the lubricant from a filter and the variability in filter sizes, a suitable device is desired.
Several attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,996,550 to Sampson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,141 to Norman; U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,026 to Rhodes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,452 to Crist; U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,431 to Poling; U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,084 to Steen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,727 to Kraus; U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,017 to Holman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,648 to Hocfbaum et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,299 to Wadsworth; U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,565 to Mangum; U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,748 to Kilgore; U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,233 to Wawrzyniak; U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,957 to Kraus; U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,935 to Hewuse; U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,957 to Rogers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,342 to Chou; U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,916 to Lassiter; U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,078 to Lemmo, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,516 to Carlson; U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,878 to Jerantowski; U.S. Pat. No. 7,241,385 to Cline; U.S. Pat. No. 7,340,979 to Sawyer; U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,002 to Knoll; 2013/0206244 to Laurel; and 2014/0144297 to Antonio. This art is representative of oil filter tools. However, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.